L-arginine supplementation increases cardiac collagenogenesis in mice chronically infected with Berenice-78 Trypanosoma cruzi strain.
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Date
2021
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Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major neglected tropical disease that occurs mainly as chronic
infection and systemic infection. Currently, there is no suitable and effective drug to treat this parasitic disease.
Administration of nutrients with immunomodulatory properties, such as arginine and nitric oxide radicals, may
be helpful as antiparasitic therapy. In this study, we evaluated the effects of arginine supplementation during the
acute phase of infection under the development of chronic Chagas’ heart disease in Swiss mice inoculated with
the Berenice-78 strain of T. cruzi. The effectiveness of arginine was determined by daily detection of the parasite
in the blood and long-term serum levels of nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, in addition to evaluation
of heart tissue damage. Arginine could flatten parasitemia and prevent elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
in T. cruzi-infected mice. Regarding chronic inflammatory myocardial derangements, similar findings were
verified among T. cruzi-infected groups. Arginine promoted collagenogenesis in the heart muscle tissue of
T. cruzi-infected arginine-supplemented group. These data show the paradoxical benefits of arginine in
improving the outcome of Chagas chronic cardiomyopathy.
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Keywords
Arginine, Nitric oxide, Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, Cardiomyopathy
Citation
NARDE, M. B. et al. L-arginine supplementation increases cardiac collagenogenesis in mice chronically infected with Berenice-78 Trypanosoma cruzi strain. Parasitology International, v. 83, artigo 102345, 2021. Disponível em: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383576921000647>. Acesso em: 11 out. 2022.